Chapter 4 - NICOLE KNEW ME BEFORE SHE KNEW DALTON
Nicole had entered my life three years earlier.
At least officially.
Dalton introduced her at Thanksgiving.
He claimed they met through friends.
She was polished.
Warm.
Almost aggressively interested in family history.
She asked about Grandpa.
My career.
Properties.
Investments.
At the time, I thought she was trying to connect.
Now I wondered whether she had been collecting information.
The power-of-attorney document was dated five years earlier.
Nicole’s full name appeared clearly:
Nicole Marie Warren.
Witness.
I sent it to Claire.
Her response was immediate.
Are you certain this is the same Nicole?
I checked her middle name.
Birthday.
Previous address.
Same woman.
Absolutely certain.
Then Rebecca called.
“You’re going to think I’m crazy.”
“That stopped being a useful warning three days ago.”
She hesitated.
“I knew Nicole before Dalton did.”
I stood.
“What?”
“Not personally. I saw her at your father’s office.”
“When?”
“Years ago.”
“How many?”
“Maybe five.”
My skin went cold.
“What was she doing there?”
“I don’t know. I came to pick you up for dinner once. You were running late. She was leaving Robert’s office.”
I remembered the evening.
I had been working downtown.
Rebecca met me downstairs.
Dad’s office had been in the same building then.
“Why didn’t you mention it?”
“I forgot until now.”
“Did she see you?”
“Yes.”
“Did she know you were my friend?”
“I don’t know.”
I called Dad’s former office manager, June.
She had retired two years earlier.
At first, she remembered nothing.
Then I gave Nicole’s maiden name.
“Oh.”
That single syllable made my stomach tighten.
“You remember her.”
“Yes.”
“What did she do for Dad?”
June paused.
“She worked for the financial consulting firm Robert hired.”
“What consulting firm?”
“Northgate Recovery.”
I had never heard the name.
“What were they recovering?”
“Your brother’s losses.”
Five years ago.
Dalton had been losing money five years ago.
Long before he claimed the problems started.
“How old was Dalton?”
“Twenty-three.”
“And Nicole?”
“She worked in forensic accounting.”
I sat down.
Nicole had not stumbled into Dalton’s life.
She had been hired by Dad to examine the financial damage Dalton caused.
“Did they start dating then?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did Dad?”
“Robert was very protective of Dalton.”
That was the polite version.
“Did Nicole have access to my accounts?”
June went quiet.
“I shouldn’t speculate.”
“Did she?”
“Possibly.”
“How?”
“Your father asked Northgate to review all Bennett family assets to determine what liquidity was available.”
I felt sick.
“All assets?”
“Yes.”
“Including mine?”
“Yes.”
“Did I authorize that?”
“I assumed you had.”
I had not.
There it was.
The pattern began before the house.
Before the wedding.
Before Nicole became my future sister-in-law.
Dad had opened my financial life to strangers because Dalton lost money.
Then Nicole entered the family.
I called the main office of Northgate Recovery.
The receptionist transferred me twice.
Finally, a managing director named Andrew Cole answered.
“Yes, Ms. Bennett. Nicole Warren worked here.”
“Why did she leave?”
A pause.
“We don’t discuss former employees.”
“Was she fired?”
Another pause.
“You should speak to your attorney.”
My heartbeat accelerated.
“Why?”
He lowered his voice.
“Because if this concerns Robert Bennett, we are already under legal instruction not to communicate informally.”
“What legal instruction?”
“From our counsel.”
“Why?”
“I can’t answer that.”
I sent everything to Claire.
She contacted Northgate formally.
Then Marlene called.
“We have a buyer interested in the colonial.”
I almost laughed at the timing.
“Already?”
“Investor couple. They’ve been looking in that neighborhood for months.”
“Offer?”
“They want to tour first.”
“Can we legally arrange it?”
“With proper notice, yes.”
We scheduled inspection access for Friday morning.
The wedding was Saturday.
I did not choose that date for drama.
It was simply the first legally available window.
At least that was what I told myself.
Dalton received the access notice.
He called within minutes.
“You’re sending buyers through the house the day before my wedding?”
“Potential buyers.”
“You’re insane.”
“I’m selling.”
“You can’t.”
“We’ve discussed this.”
“No. You don’t understand.”
“What?”
He lowered his voice.
“Nicole’s family already invested.”
“In what?”
“The venue company.”
“How much?”
“Eight hundred thousand.”
My stomach tightened.
“Based on my house?”
“Yes.”
“Do they know I own it?”
Silence.
“No.”
I laughed bitterly.
“So everybody’s money depends on me continuing to disappear.”
“Sierra, please.”
“Tell them.”
“I can’t.”
“Then I will.”
“Don’t.”
“Why?”
He sounded panicked.
“Because Nicole’s father isn’t like ours.”
I frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“He doesn’t forgive losses.”
The wording chilled me.
“Are you afraid of him?”
Dalton went silent.
That was new.
My foolish, arrogant brother suddenly sounded like a child.
“Sierra.”
“Yes?”
“I messed up.”
“No argument.”
“No. Worse than you know.”
“What did you do?”
“I signed something.”
“What?”
“A personal guarantee.”
“For the eight hundred thousand?”
“Yes.”
“What collateral?”
He began crying.
I had not heard Dalton cry since high school.
“What collateral?”
He whispered:
“Mom and Dad’s retirement accounts.”
I closed my eyes.
“How?”
“Dad signed too.”
“And if the business fails?”
“They lose everything.”
The room went silent around me.
Then Dalton added:
“And Sierra?”
“What?”
“Nicole doesn’t know I told you.”
“Why does that matter?”
“Because she’s not marrying me for the business.”
My pulse changed.
“What is she marrying you for?”
He swallowed.
Then said:
“The house.”
I laughed once.
“She knows you don’t own it.”
“Yes.”
“Then why?”
A long silence.
“Because she thinks I will after you’re dead.”
I stopped breathing.
May you like
“What did you just say?”
But the call disconnected.
